Ten Strange PC Storage Formats

Sinclair ZX Microdrive

In 1983, Sinclair Research launched the ZX Microdrive system for its popular ZX Spectrum home computer. The ZX Microdrive stored 85KB of data on tiny, 1.3 inch wide tape cartridges; each cartridge contained a complete 200 inch loop of magnetic tape, similar to an 8-track cassette. The Microdrive read and wrote data very fast compared to cassette tape drives of the era, but the tapes tended to wear out quickly. Ultimately, more reliable storage formats won the day.